UK Plans to Give Ireland Special Treatment Could Derail EU Benefit Reforms

Britain's push to limit EU migrants' access to public benefits has been put under more scrutiny following reports that the UK will exempt Irish nationals from any deal, potentially setting up a showdown with other EU states, unhappy at London's plans to restrict welfare access.

With debate continuing over Britain's public EU reform demands, The Guardian reported that British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond had privately assured Ireland that any efforts to restrict EU migrants' access to the welfare system would not affect the hundreds of thousands of Irish nationals living in the UK.

Citing an Irish government document, the newspaper reported that Ireland's Foreign Minister Charles Flanagan had been granted explicit assurances from Hammond that Irish citizens wouldn't be affected, if the UK won the right to prevent or limit migrants' access to benefits

Earlier this week, Prime Minister David Cameron officially released his demands for EU reform, which included calls for EU migrants to be restricted from receiving benefits during their first four years in the country, as part of measures aimed at cracking down on so-called "benefit tourism".

(1/3) Today I set out the four objectives at the heart of our EU renegotiation – and you can see them here: https://t.co/btKDfVJhTy

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 10, 2015 

Despite the Conservative party's election manifesto earlier this year, which stated that making changes to welfare access to cut EU migration was an "absolute requirement" of negotiations, Cameron seemed to soften his message, saying that he was "open to different ways of dealing" with the highly contentious issue of restricting EU nationals from accessing British benefits.

Cameron has not publicly raised the issue of offering exemptions to the citizens of certain EU member states, however speculation that Ireland may be given preferential treatment is likely to be opposed by countries such as Poland and Slovakia, who have been the most vocal critics of the PM's plans.

My cartoon Wednesday @TheTimes. Cameron horribly exposed on migrant benefits #EUreform #Modigliani pic.twitter.com/1eFvgii0aq

— Peter Brookes (@BrookesTimes) November 11, 2015 

British officials have said that Irish nationals have for a long time been treated differently to other EU citizens, given that the countries share agreements within the Common Travel Area, which means there are limited, and in many cases, there are no border checks between Ireland and the UK.

However, many questions remain over the legality of any attempts to exclude some countries from benefits restrictions, with the European Commission (EC) also pouring cold water on Cameron's demands, labeling plans to revoke welfare benefits as "highly problematic".

"We see a number of elements which appear to be feasible, like finding ways to increase the role of national parliaments, and some issues which are difficult, like ever-closer union and the relation between euro ins and outs. 

"And some things are highly problematic as they touch upon the fundamental freedoms of our internal market. Direct discrimination between EU citizens clearly falls into this last category," EC spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said.